YKCornelius
Yukon to my friends
- Joined
- May 3, 2019
- Messages
- 156
- Reaction Score
- 706
I watched all six games in Greenville in-person this past week (well, five and three-quarters since I left SC-UCLA early to watch UConn-OSU) and all six games in Seattle from Greenville bars. Here are my observations on South Carolina:
1. I’ve been to many games at Gampel and the Civic Center, but the crowd noise there was nothing compared to the devoted bedlam that filled Bons Secours every time the Gamecocks came out of the locker room and during player introductions. Adult men and women - of all ages - young children, and teens going berserk in both levels of the arena and in the aisles. It was like witnessing Beatles, Elvis and Snoop Dogg fans coming together for mega concert.
2. Unlike the other seven teams there (and maybe true of all WCBB programs?), at the conclusion of pregame warm-ups the Gamecocks leave the floor either in pairs or individually, waving to the crowd and drinking in the applause raining down from everywhere. This occurs right past the other team that is still warming up, and takes a solid two minutes to play out. Starters and bench alike – all are treated like rock stars. A question for our Gamecock posters: does this treatment occur at every home game during the season, or is it just for tournaments?
3. Zia Cooke is the last player to the leave the court pre-game, and she does so only after making a three point basket from all five spots on the arc. The crowd loves it.
4. Before each game, the coaches for all eight teams come out of the locker room and proceed to shake hands with all of the coaches and staffs of the opposing team. Nothing unusual, happens throughout the season. However, only Dawn Staley proceeds to then follow her handshakes with fist bumps with all of the scorers table personnel working the game (about 20-25 people). One can see the smiles on their faces as she approaches and after she passes. Classy move!
5. Some of the other team’s head coaches get all dressed-up for the games with eye-catching outfits and heels (Kim Mulkey, Niele Ivey, and to a lesser extent Brenda Freese), others wear comfortable street attire that seems coordinated with their teams’ outfits (Katie Meier, Cori Close, Lynne Roberts and Denise Dillon). Dawn Staley, however, walks out of the locker room wearing South Carolina sweatpants and a matching zippered sweatshirt. No fuss, no muss – it is easy to imagine she just finished running drills with her players beneath the stands.
6. I didn’t come across a single SC fan the entire four days who was obnoxious, cocky, know-it-all, or who was disparaging of the other teams or other players (they did boo the refs at times, but rightfully so). Seeing the UConn shirts my cousin and I were wearing, many offered compliments towards the Huskies (and condolences after the loss to OSU). Their behavior contrasted sharply against the brash, cocky behavior of LSU fans, and the obnoxious, mean-spirited behavior of a large number of Tennessee fans in attendance (who were not shy about voicing their displeasure and resentment at the Vols being sent out to Seattle). Bottom line: when not screaming and dancing in support of their team, the Gamecock fans were 100% class act.
7. Our seating was in the middle of SEC and ACC fans, who for the most part, were very friendly and complimentary (including the two Lady Vol fans sitting next to us). They were also VERY opinionated about the action going on the court and about the competency of the referees, especially during the games involving South Carolina. It seemed like each non-Gamecock fan had a different gripe about the special treatment they thought the officials were affording South Carolina. It was a litany of “if the refs stop allowing "this" or start enforcing "that", then our team could be competitive with South Carolina”. Pretty fascinating to hear that stuff directed towards a team other than UConn.
8. Aliyah Boston is a class act. She is revered by South Carolina fans, second only to Dawn. While most South Carolina fans expect her to enter the WNBA draft, there were some fans (in the bars) who think she might come back for a Covid year whether or not SC wins the championship. Prior to this weekend, I would have disregarded that idea as stupid if not insane, but now I am not so sure. What I am sure of is that Aliyah Boston will not receive the level of sheer adoration she enjoys now when she becomes a pro. The pro money will be there, but the Gamecock environment will not. Food for thought……
9. The four senior mainstays of the program (Bree Beall, Zia Cooke, Leticia Amihere and Victaria Saxton) are class acts as well. None of the flamboyant, in-your-face, brashness that was evident on the floor from other teams throughout the weekend (I’m looking at you Diamond Miller and Angel Reese). I can see all four playing professionally, overseas if not in the WNBA.
10. Final thought: Nobody can make a half dozen South Carolina senior citizens jump out of their chairs and start dancing like Bree Beall can when she hits a three-point shot. Gadzooks!
1. I’ve been to many games at Gampel and the Civic Center, but the crowd noise there was nothing compared to the devoted bedlam that filled Bons Secours every time the Gamecocks came out of the locker room and during player introductions. Adult men and women - of all ages - young children, and teens going berserk in both levels of the arena and in the aisles. It was like witnessing Beatles, Elvis and Snoop Dogg fans coming together for mega concert.
2. Unlike the other seven teams there (and maybe true of all WCBB programs?), at the conclusion of pregame warm-ups the Gamecocks leave the floor either in pairs or individually, waving to the crowd and drinking in the applause raining down from everywhere. This occurs right past the other team that is still warming up, and takes a solid two minutes to play out. Starters and bench alike – all are treated like rock stars. A question for our Gamecock posters: does this treatment occur at every home game during the season, or is it just for tournaments?
3. Zia Cooke is the last player to the leave the court pre-game, and she does so only after making a three point basket from all five spots on the arc. The crowd loves it.
4. Before each game, the coaches for all eight teams come out of the locker room and proceed to shake hands with all of the coaches and staffs of the opposing team. Nothing unusual, happens throughout the season. However, only Dawn Staley proceeds to then follow her handshakes with fist bumps with all of the scorers table personnel working the game (about 20-25 people). One can see the smiles on their faces as she approaches and after she passes. Classy move!
5. Some of the other team’s head coaches get all dressed-up for the games with eye-catching outfits and heels (Kim Mulkey, Niele Ivey, and to a lesser extent Brenda Freese), others wear comfortable street attire that seems coordinated with their teams’ outfits (Katie Meier, Cori Close, Lynne Roberts and Denise Dillon). Dawn Staley, however, walks out of the locker room wearing South Carolina sweatpants and a matching zippered sweatshirt. No fuss, no muss – it is easy to imagine she just finished running drills with her players beneath the stands.
6. I didn’t come across a single SC fan the entire four days who was obnoxious, cocky, know-it-all, or who was disparaging of the other teams or other players (they did boo the refs at times, but rightfully so). Seeing the UConn shirts my cousin and I were wearing, many offered compliments towards the Huskies (and condolences after the loss to OSU). Their behavior contrasted sharply against the brash, cocky behavior of LSU fans, and the obnoxious, mean-spirited behavior of a large number of Tennessee fans in attendance (who were not shy about voicing their displeasure and resentment at the Vols being sent out to Seattle). Bottom line: when not screaming and dancing in support of their team, the Gamecock fans were 100% class act.
7. Our seating was in the middle of SEC and ACC fans, who for the most part, were very friendly and complimentary (including the two Lady Vol fans sitting next to us). They were also VERY opinionated about the action going on the court and about the competency of the referees, especially during the games involving South Carolina. It seemed like each non-Gamecock fan had a different gripe about the special treatment they thought the officials were affording South Carolina. It was a litany of “if the refs stop allowing "this" or start enforcing "that", then our team could be competitive with South Carolina”. Pretty fascinating to hear that stuff directed towards a team other than UConn.
8. Aliyah Boston is a class act. She is revered by South Carolina fans, second only to Dawn. While most South Carolina fans expect her to enter the WNBA draft, there were some fans (in the bars) who think she might come back for a Covid year whether or not SC wins the championship. Prior to this weekend, I would have disregarded that idea as stupid if not insane, but now I am not so sure. What I am sure of is that Aliyah Boston will not receive the level of sheer adoration she enjoys now when she becomes a pro. The pro money will be there, but the Gamecock environment will not. Food for thought……
9. The four senior mainstays of the program (Bree Beall, Zia Cooke, Leticia Amihere and Victaria Saxton) are class acts as well. None of the flamboyant, in-your-face, brashness that was evident on the floor from other teams throughout the weekend (I’m looking at you Diamond Miller and Angel Reese). I can see all four playing professionally, overseas if not in the WNBA.
10. Final thought: Nobody can make a half dozen South Carolina senior citizens jump out of their chairs and start dancing like Bree Beall can when she hits a three-point shot. Gadzooks!
